http://www.toro.com/en-us/sports-fieldsThis link is broken, either the page no longer exists or there is some other issue like a typo. ... -5900-5910

Or if you are a poor horse farmer and you have 35 acres of pasture to maintain you use a 1943 Farmall M with superpac bought at an auction 15 years ago for $900 with a 6' Bush Hog (a real one) thrown in for free that was at least 25 years old then and had not a scrap of paint on it then but no rust. No live PTO so it is tough to get going. Rarely serviced and zero what was that you have ???? No power steering so hold on over the bumps. Little areas a pre Torocrap WH Raider 10 - ahhh, love that old stuff. Let's compare mowing costs over a ten year period. All you spoiled young brats - hah.

AA130FIREMAN wrote:Did ventrac buy the steiner tractor company ? I myself used a grasshopper zero turn back in the 80's for a landscaper, before every one knew what a zero turn was. I really liked the grasshopper back then and knew that was what I was looking for. Guess it's a brand loyalty, but their are mostly all built alike.

Two separate companies but one did clone the other I forget which. Kinda like AA and AHS .

No I guess you're right they are one company started by the steiner brothers. They sold Steiner to Jacobsen/Textron and then become displeased with the direction and quality and after waiting the non-compete period created the Ventrac.

The Steiner family has always been about the business of making life simpler through practical engineering, design ingenuity and good old fashion common sense. Those early values passed on by their father, Marvin Steiner continues to be the driving force, that pushes them to design and manufacture the highest quality equipment available, surpassing the needs of our ever-changing world.

Steiner Brother's Design In the mid 1970’s the seven Steiner brothers formed Steiner Corporation. Through the next fourteen years their company grew into 3 major marketing divisions, Turf Equipment, Agriculture Equipment and a community repair shop. In 1988, the Turf division was sold to Ransomes of Ipswich, England and the Agriculture line was sold to a group of employees that continued on with the agriculture products. In 1996 "Steiner Ag Products" was renamed "Venture Products Inc" to fit with the company's new focus of providing equipment for the physically impaired. The new brand name VENTRAC was launched and in 1998 the Steiner brothers focused their energies on the new “next generation” all-wheel-drive compact tractor. Since that time the market has embraced the VENTRAC with a tremendous reception.

From lawnsite.com member

I own both, a 430max Steiner and 32hp diesel Ventrac. I prefer the Ventrac handsdown to the Steiner. If you are going to mow 40degreeslopes, you better get the dualwheel option on either machine. The Steiner has a lower center of gravity. I use the 60inch mowing deck off the steiner on my Ventrac. In fact, almost all of my attachments where bought for the Steiner, they just work better on the Ventrac.

No problems from them things as a youngster I was always told by my granny that you only got those if you sat on the coal fire in winter and I was stupid enough to believe her. However, the rear end is clean so I always wonder. Vasolene on the back side and Monkey Butt Powder on the front side in hot weather, I am trying to remember what that strange appendage used to be for. I know, I know, more info than you all needed. I sit on a torn, rejected saddle pad. It's like riding a Cadillac, no better as it doesn't break down all the time.

Rob R. wrote:I have a Z950 John Deere with a 72" deck and 27hp Kawi. It is an absolute beast.

I went out and looked at the "Z" this morning and realized it is actually 31hp. No wonder it has such an appetite for gasoline.

They are really puttin' some power in the new mowers. The guy I worked for never had us cut at full speed, we took are time and didn't miss any. Understand, he had good accounts and we did a good job, never turned on a dime, 3 point turn. Now I see some guys today cut like it's a race. I do a normal speed myself unless it's starting to rain

I have never really put much of a load on the engine in mine. Tall & damp grass makes the exhaust tone change a little, but that's it. I choose a big mower so I could use less ground speed...easier on my butt and it does a nice job. If you really wanted to go nuts and mow 10 mph I'm sure you would need the extra HP.

I mow close to 4 acres with a Woods 61" 18-hp diesel zero-turn that's about 20 years old. It runs awesome, blows through thick grass, piled leaves, etc. and sips fuel. When we first moved to this house - from a house with a small yard - I bought a farm tractor w/a 72" finish mower, but when the Woods mower became available on reasonable terms (courtesy of an EFM dealer - hmmm, that must be short for "Excellent Mower") even the local tractor dealer advised that the performance of the farm tractor wouldn't come close. We're very happy with it.

I should've spent the money on one of these instead of a lawn tractor. I don't need the tractor - that's what my Polaris ATV is for. When I mow, I go as fast as possible without making the lawn look like hell. The faster the better. If I could mow at 75 mph, by God I'd do it. I've got a million other things to do besides mow. I got the 25 HP V-twin with a 54" cut & power bagger so I can get the lawn done quickly, even if I miss a couple weeks and the grass is a foot tall. I always bag. I kick myself in the ass every time I hear about how zero-turns can mow at 25 mph. Mine can mow at 6 ...

Although I've been told that the reliability factor is higher with a tractor over a zero-turn. Less things to break. Makes sense to me.

Goes without saying, but don't get a Cub Cadet zero turn. I have one and am slowly replacing every major component including the hydro drives. I have spent more to repair this mower than I bought it for. Junk. I won't do it again.

NorthernIndiana wrote:Goes without saying, but don't get a Cub Cadet zero turn. I have one and am slowly replacing every major component including the hydro drives. I have spent more to repair this mower than I bought it for. Junk. I won't do it again.

Ahh, you made the mistake of buying the residential model instead of the commerical, huh? The Tank is a pretty good machine.

NorthernIndiana wrote:Goes without saying, but don't get a Cub Cadet zero turn. I have one and am slowly replacing every major component including the hydro drives. I have spent more to repair this mower than I bought it for. Junk. I won't do it again.

Ahh, you made the mistake of buying the residential model instead of the commerical, huh? The Tank is a pretty good machine.

I believe that goes for any of the major manufactures of garden tractors. Don't buy the ones they sell at the BIG box home improvement stores (if you want one that will last). They are built cheaper to compete.

It's also a function of what you are mowing. Let's just say my pastures will never the location of the annual croquet playoffs. If I rush along with any small wheeled machine it's shakes my teeth loose, whereas the big ol' Farmall tires just cruise along. Also where was the interesting challenge of the bush hog getting entangled with a buried car door my Z turn thingmebob would be crippled. The bush hog just chewed it up (I kid you not). Don't you just love life in the country.